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Q: How can I get my free report?
A: Fill out
this
form for your free report. Please read below so you are prepared.
Q: What is a free puppy report?
A: It is a report intended to give you a better understanding of the origin
of your puppy.
Q: What kind of information do you need from me?
A: We suggest you gather all the papers you received when you purchased
your puppy. Incomplete data will lead to a delay in receiving your report,
as well as our ability to provide an accurate report.
Q: How long will it take to get my report?
A: Normally reports are completed daily but depending on the volume of
reports we receive, as well as our volunteer's availability, your report may
take up to a week to complete (though very rare). We ask that you allow a
week before emailing us about the status of your report. Please note that
if you do not provide enough information, it will lead to a substantial
delay in your report being completed.
Q: Is the report completely free?
A: Absolutely free!
Q: What about selling my personal information and
protecting my privacy?
A: We NEVER share personal information with outside sources. We NEVER spam
our sell/share email addresses and to protect your privacy, we require only
a few blocks of data be completed pertaining to your personal information.
A name (first name is fine) helps us when we need to contact you; your
city/state are used in tracking data but is not specific to you. As we step
up our campaign of educating the public, the general location of those
filling out reports helps us target areas of the country where we need to
target our educational materials, such as brochures and media attention;
your email address is a must -- without it, we can not send you your puppy
report. If you are concerned about spam, we suggest you set up a free
account with yahoo, hotmail, gmail, etc. and then delete the account after
you receive your report. Note that we may later have additional information
for you, such as a class action law suit that may lead to recovery of
medical bills and such if you purchased a sick puppy, so using an email
address that you can always be reached at is to your advantage.
Q: How/why do you do this?
A: The commercial dog industry is a multi-billion dollar business that
involves the mass production of puppies, mostly in the Midwest. Though we
hope that your puppy is healthy and happy, it is the parents of your puppy
that we are concerned with. The "breeding stock" used to produce puppies
for America's pet stores are treated like livestock--mostly living in
inhumane conditions, even when coming from USDA licensed facilities.
Q: What can I expect from my puppy report?
A: It's probably easier to tell you what not to expect. We don't now
the color or size of the parents of your puppy. We don't know what diseases
they may have or carry, and we don't know the temperament of the parents.
We can not help you obtain AKC papers, or any registration papers for that
matter. We can not help you in your dispute against a breeder, broker, or
pet store. Our reports contain the following information, if/when this
information is available to us:
- USDA licensing information. Name, business name,
address.
- USDA inspections are annual (usually) inspections
by the Dept. of Agriculture that check to see that the breeder or broker
are in compliance with the minimum standards of the Animal Welfare Act.
- USDA inventories are the number of animals (puppies
and adult dogs) present on the premises during an inspection.
- AKC revocations and suspensions.
- Media reports, such as any newspaper articles we
might have on the breeder, broker or pet store.
- Dog auction reports
- Other customer reports are available when other
puppies from the same breeder, broker, and/or pet store are sold to
customers that fill out a puppy report. As of August, 2010, we have 12,500 reports in our database and as that number grows, we hope to provide
more detailed information about the origin of your puppy. For example, if
you bought a Golden Retriever that originated at a Missouri breeder's
farm, we may have a report from another customer that shows medical
problems that you might watch out for, such as hip dysplasia or epilepsy.
These reports will also show a history of selling puppies with parasites,
kennel cough, puppies that are much too large for the breed standard, or
don't look anything like a purebred. Because of privacy issues, we do not
disclose information regarding other pet shop customers. Often times
people want to contact other pet shop customers, but unfortunately, we are
extremely overworked and underpaid (we are all volunteers) and we simply
can not take the time to notify other customers.
Q: What should I do after I receive my report?
A: We encourage you to do additional research on the breeder, broker and pet
shop. Below are tools that you can use to aid in that research.
Find a Business
Most states require that individuals or businesses that are
self-employed, must hold a state license to do business in their state.
Laws vary by state, but the Secretary of State in each state is the office
that regulates businesses. Simply type "Secretary of State" and your
state's name in your favorite search engine to find businesses in your
state. Example: "Secretary of State" Missouri.
Attorney Generals' Offices
The Attorney General of each state has many
responsibilities, and one of these is to ensure that its state citizens are
protected against deceptive business practices and businesses offering
sub-standard products to consumers. In many states, if enough complaints
are lodge, the Attorney General will investigate a business, and take action
against that business if the investigation warrants it. PetShopPuppies
encourages you to file a complaint with your state Attorney General's office
if you feel that the pet store, broker, or breeder of your puppy was sold in
violation of your state's laws.
In addition to investigating business within a state, the
Attorney General's Office can often prohibit out of state businesses from
doing business in their state. Your complaint may seem unimportant, but it
is only when citizens stand up for themselves, that government agencies can
work to protect them.
To find the Attorney General's website in your state, simply
type "Attorney General" and your state's name in your favorite search
engine. Example: "Attorney General" Missouri.
Better Business Bureau
To search for reports on businesses at the Better Business Bureau, please
use this link
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